Facial recognition technology (FRT) emerged 50 years ago from experiments that measured facial attributes to search for matches on a semi-automated system.¹ Modern FRT is an electronic system that uses sophisticated biometrics to compare facial features of a probe image with features of images contained within a database.² Today, algorithms enable real-time facial recognition for identification purposes from smartphone photos, video footage, and photos from social media platforms.³

The U.S. Government Accountability Office conducted surveys that concluded U.S. federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies overwhelmingly use FRT, with usage at the local level increasing over the past decade.⁴ Agencies commonly use FRT to support investigative efforts, such as locating missing persons and identifying suspects, deceased individuals, and potential victims.⁵ Despite these investigative benefits, some jurisdictions have chosen to ban or limit the use of FRT due to the risk of misidentifying individuals.⁶

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